My Growth as a real person from Shepherd
by N7 Hero
Summary: I have grown if real life and after replaying the game, I have realized that Mass Effect to me was more than a game. This is my idea of the final conversation I had with Shep when he was dying after destroying the Reapers. Did you feel the same way?


[ If you would like play this music to feel the state of mind I was in when writing this. watch?v=x5JvbD2Zc9I]

"O Shit hey…HEY! I need help Shepherd's down! Shepherd is down get help, NOW! Med evac on my position."

The reapers were on the ground, the dust was settling around their lifeless corpses. All the reaper forces, now ash fell like snowflakes over the battle field. Amongst the silent chaos, I was lying there, kneeling. Beside him. My hero , my brother since 8th grade was dying before my eyes, and I was powerless to help him.

"Shep, Shep hang in there Skipper a med evac is in route." I said with my throat choked up.

"Austin, hey buddy, we did it…We stopped the Reapers" *Cough* Blood spurted from Shepherds mouth and his flesh wounds.

"Shepherd…" I said, "you gotta stay awake, try not to move or talk."

"No…no I don't think I'll be making it out of this one…Austin I have to….to tell you a few things before I go. Tell Liara that I love her with all my heart and all my friends I love them to. Also when my daughter is born; tell her what I won't be able, to be persistent, stand for what is right and just, be strong, and compassionate, promote peace."

"With all due respect sir, shut up you're gonna tell her that yourself. WHERE THE HELL IS THAT MED EVAC?"

"Austin, Austin it's okay, it's okay to let me go."

"I can't… I won't the galaxy needs you to tell them what to do now…I need you, your my hero Shep, you are everything I want to be as a man."

"Heh…before you came along; I was just an orphan from earth who was lucky enough to survive Akuze. You were the one who made me the peace maker I am today. You were the one that made me grow into the man who saved the universe. You could have made me a renegade; you could have not cared to do every single mission to get the best results; whether it was the collector's base or here at earth. I was lucky enough to be there with you, I learned so much from you, you're my hero. We grew together Austin, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to do this with you. But now is my time to go, my story is complete, but you Austin, I live in you. We are the same person, remember that. If I could bring an entire galaxy together, imagine what you can do."

He closed his eyes, "Hey...there's no bright light, its getting darker, but there is is this feeling. It feels so good. The tensions gone, its moving through my body starting from my feet. My mind is clear, no fear...no regret, just peace...Austin your my brother, I love you,and where ever we end up I'll see you there."

"See you on the other side Shep, I love you too brother."

It began to rain gently, the noise drown out, the background faded it was just us...one.

[ If you are listening to the song please skip to 2:15]

It's been two years since Shepherd died. I am now a senior at college, starting to begin my professional life and become a productive member of society. I put Shepherd's death in the back of my mind for two years trying to get my life in order; I mean come on it's a fictional character, why should I care at all. It wasn't until I played the trilogy over again, that made me really think about what was happening. I was growing up and had lost a part of my childhood, my biggest hero that I inspired to be. Now I face my own decisions that question my moral fabric over what kind of a person I am going to be. While playing ME1 I took to heart many of the decisions presented to me and applied them to my life. I even saw that my girlfriend has a personality extremely similar to Liara. Shepherd became something more than a fictional character, he became me, and when he died, I died (in a sense). But I will not fail his last request, I will be the harbinger of peace, I will unite whoever I encounter, and I will tell those blue babies one day who their father was to me and the galaxy. What will you choose?

Look you are entitled to your opinion, I'm a weirdo for having such an emotional attachment to a fictional character while real world issues are taking place, but I just wanted to present to you that the possibility of these games can surly indicate or even reveal the type of person we are.


End file.
